End of AAA Season Mostly Disappoints

While the Major League Baseball season will continue on for a few more months, including the playoffs, the AAA season is quickly coming to an end. For MLB, the final weeks of the regular season usually go out with a bang. For AAA, it’s more of a whimper.

It’s exciting to be a minor league baseball fan in the early part of a season. All of the highly touted prospects are still in the minors. Catcher Buster Posey spent two months with San Francisco’s AAA affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies, before being called up to the Show. He’s now the leading candidate for NL Rookie of the Year.

Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 in his first MLB outing. Carlos Santana had a .401 OBP with the Indians before Ryan Kalish nearly surgically removed Santana’s knee. Mike Stanton has 9 HR and 19 RBI with a .337 average over the last 30 days with the Marlins. Their stats are all different, but their journeys all started the same. They all started in the minors this year.

Now? They’re all in the big leagues. Even other great prospects like Pedro Alvarez, Madison Baumgardner, and Starlin Castro have made it to the bigs.

The Astros have called up all of their best guys, too. Brett Wallace, Jason Castro, and Chris Johnson were all stars in the minors before Houston decided to give their future all-stars some reps.

While it’s great for baseball to see all of these future all-stars playing at the highest level, for minor-league fans it’s a big of a drag.

Sure, there will always be prospects in the minors. But for a team like the Round Rock Express, Oswaldo Navarro and Josh Banks aren’t yet names that excite you like Wallace, Castro, or Johnson do. Although, Banks’ complete-game shutout might change your opinion a little bit … maybe?

Having said that, when tickets can easily go for more than $100 in the major leagues, the most expensive ticket at the Dell Diamond is only 30 bucks. The bargain to see a minor-league game is in plain sight. If you want to take your family out to experience baseball, but can't afford a Rangers or Astros game, there’s no better deal than going to see a minor-league game in Round Rock.

The Express only have two more home series left, one this weekend vs. Oklahoma City and one next weekend vs. Albuquerque.

You won’t see a Strasburg or a Posey playing during those two games, but you will get to see baseball in a beautiful stadium. And that’s all that matters, right?

Vs. Oklahoma City: Sat.-Tue., Aug. 21-24, 7:05pm. Dell Diamond, 3400 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock. $6-30.